Electric locking and unlocking apparatus

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for locking and unlocking electric lock with a magnetic key code signal recorded on a magnetic card is provided. The apparatus includes a storage device in which a predetermined signal specific to a particular lock associated is preliminarily stored, and the key code signal read out from the card inserted into a read-out device of the apparatus is compared with the predetermined signal at a logic operational device. Coincidence of the both signals at the logic operational device will actuate an associated control device for the electric lock so that the lock will be unlocked or locked depending on the locked or unlocked state of the lock.

United States Patent [1 1 Watase et al.

1 1 Oct. 29, 1974 1 ELECTRIC LOCKING AND UNLOCKING APPARATUS [75]lnventors: Fumio Watase; Shunsaku Nakauchi; Seiichi Kodera; MamoruNamikawa, all of Tokyo, Japan [73] Assignee: Tokyo Magnetic PrintingCo., Ltd.,

Tokyo, Japan [22] Filed: May 7, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 357,621

Related U.S. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No.335,582, Feb. 26,

I30] Foreign Application Priority Data May 11, 1972 Japan 47-35892 June22, 1972 Japan 47-61846 June 22. 1972 Japan 47-61847 1521 U.S. Cl...,...317/134, 340/147 MD, 340/149 A [51] int. Cl E0511 49/00 [58] FieldofSearch 317/134; 340/147 MD, 340/147 CN, 149 R. 149 A 156] ReferencesCited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,914,746 11/1959 James 317/134 READ-OUTTEMPORARY ClRCUlT 1953,? -J 22 COMPA- RATOR 1 CIRCUIT KEY-c005 24STORAGE N23- CIRCUIT COMPA- RATOR F ClRCUlT CIRCUIT COMPA- RATOR CIRCUlTCIRCUIT COMPA- RATOR F CIRCUlT TO CIRCLHT 25 4 asa- RA ClRCUlT CIRCUlT\23'5 3,445,633 5/1969 Ratner 317/134 3,500,326 3/1970 Benford i t 1.340/164 R 3,688,269 8/1972 Miller H 340/149 A 3,696,335 10/1972 Lemclson340/149 A [57} ABSTRACT An apparatus for locking and unlocking electriclock with a magnetic key code signal recorded on a magnetic card isprovided. The apparatus includes a storage device in which apredetermined signal specific to a particular lock associated ispreliminarily stored, and the key code signal read out from the cardinserted into a read-out device of the apparatus is compared with thepredetermined signal at a logic operational device. Coincidence of theboth signals at the logic operational device will actuate an associatedcontrol device for the electric lock so that the lock will be unlockedor locked depending on the locked or unlocked state of the lock.

1 Claim, 16 Drawing Figures ELECTRIC LOCK 2 CiRCUET 3 2 26 PAIENIEDumsm4 SL845; 361

saw 02 or 12 Fig. 3

minnow 29 m4 1845361 sum usur12 Fig. 4C

(D CLOCK W"- @KEY n FL r1 11 PATENIEUIIBI 29 I574 sum 07 0F 12 R ATEMPORARY 35 8? sTORACE y- 5 CIRCUIT I 2I 22 COMPA- RATOR CIRCUITKEY-COUE 24 STORAGE CIRCUIT COMPA- RATOR CIRCUIT KEY-CODE 2 2 sTORACECIRCUIT ggQgg *OR'CATE ELECTRIC CIRCUH" T CIRCUIT LOCK KEYCODE I I IsTORACE 5 3 25 26 CIRCUIT COMPA- RATOR J CIRCUIT *EBR ACE CIRCUIT COMPA-RATOR CIRCUIT PAIENIEflnm 29 m4 SHEET 10 HF 12 TIME TIME

ELECTRIC LOCKING AND UNLOCKING APPARATUS CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATEDAPPLICATION The present application is a continuation-in-part of thecopending Wat-ase. et al.. application Ser. No. 335.582. filed Feb. 26.I973. for "ELECTRIC LOCK- ING AND UNLOCKING APPARATUS.

This invention relates to an electric locking and unlocking apparatuswherein an electric lock device is locked and unlocked by a magnetic keycode signal recorded on a magnetic card.

While there have been suggested electric locks in which a light,magnetism or electricity is utilized. these are including a specialelectric or magnetic circuit within a lock mechanism itself and is socomplicated in the structure and so high in the price that these lockshave not yet come to be generally used.

Further. in the above referred cases. it has been comparatively easy tomake a master key and it has been necessary to simultaneously replacethe lock mechanism itself in order to replace the master key withanother.

In the apparatus of the present invention, the key is a magnetic cardwhich is so formed that. when a magnetic key code signal recorded onthis card is read out and coincides with a specific signal which ispreliminarily provided in the lock mechanism. a locking or unlockingoperation can be made.

A main object ofthe present invention is to provided an electric lockapparatus wherein a key code signal recorded on a magnetic card and aspecific signal stored in the apparatus can be readily altered to a newlocking or unlocking code without changing the magnetic card or lockmechanism itselfwhen the specific signal stored in the apparatus ischanged in conformity with the key code signal on the card and. further.the locking or unlocking of a plurality of locks as well as a particularlock therein can be concentrically controlled from a remote place. sothat the practicability and security are high.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an electric lockapparatus which has an adaptability to the locking and unlocking with aplurality of different key code signals and yet the variety ofthe keycode signal can be easily increased without increasing the amount ofinformation given to the lock nor even impairing the security of thelock.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an electric lockapparatus wherein. by reading out a series signal of a key card andcomparing the series signal as it is with a comparative signalpreliminarily stored in the apparatus. so that the output terminals ofthe key code storage circuits and the input terminals of the comparatorcircuits can be minimized in number as requited irrespective requiring aseries-to-parallel converter and irrespective number of component partsto be used in the apparatus can be decreased and the formation of thecircuit can be much simplified.

The present inventions shall now be explained in detail with referenceto accompanying drawings. in which:

FIG. IA is a block diagram showing the basic structure ofthe electriclocking and unlocking apparatus according to the present invention:

FIG. 1B is a block diagram of an embodiment of the apparatus of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing an arrangement of a card insertingport and lock mechanism in the present apparatus;

FIG. 3 shows a magnetic card used with the present apparatus;

FIGS. 4A-4D are practical circuit diagrams of the first embodiment shownin FIG. 18;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a second embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 6 is a practical circuitdiagram of the second embodiment;

FIG. 7 is an equivalent block diagram to the basic structure shown inFIG. 1A;

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a third embodiment.

FIGS. 9 and I0 are diagrams showing wave forms at the respective partsin the embodiment of FIG. 8 to ex plain its operation;

FIG. 11A is a practical circuit diagram of the third embodiment; and

FIG. 118 shows wave forms at the respective parts in the thirdembodiment.

In FIG. 1A, which showing the basic formation of the apparatus of thepresent invention, 1 is a magnetic head to read recorded signal out ofmagnetic cards. 2 is an amplifier to shape and amplify pulse signalssent from the magnetic head. 3 is a logic operational device to comparepulse signals from the amplifier 2 with signals preliminarily stored ina storage device 4, and 5 is a control device to connect a power source6 and an electric lock mechanism 7 with each other in response to theresults of the comparison in the logic ope rational device 3. Morespecifically. a predetermined key code signal is recorded on a magneticrecording part I2 of a recording card 11 as shown in FIG. 3 and themagnetic card 11 is inserted into a magnetic card inserting port 8provided on a wall 9 adjacent a predetermined door 10 as shown in FIG.2. A recorded signal readingout device for reading the key code signalout of the magnetic card is provided inside the inserting port 8 so thatthe signal will be read out. The signal read out is shaped and amplifiedby the amplifier 2 and is sent to the logic operational device 3. On theother hand, a signal specific to a predetermined electric lock andseparately memorized in the storage device 4 is also sent to the logicoperational device 3 so as to be compared with the key code signal readout of the magnetic card 11. In case the two signals compared in thedevice 3 do not coincide with each other. the signals will stop here andthe lock will remain locked or unlocked. In case they coincide with eachother. a controlling signal will be generated in the control device 5,which will operate to connect the electric lock 7 with the power source6 so as to lock or unlock the same in such manner that, if the signalfed back from the electric lock 7 due to the controlling signal shows alocked state of the lock 7, the same will be unlocked and, if saidsignal fed back shows an unlocked state. the lock 7 will be locked.

Further. in the apparatus according to the present invention, forexample, an additional means for allowing the control device 5 togenerate the said controlling signal directly may be provided. so thatthe locking and unlocking operations may be performed without using themagnetic card. In this case. a switch means for op erating suchadditional means may properly be set in a house room so as to render theapparatus convenient.

In this case, further, it becomes possible to operate a plurality ofelectric locks connected to the control de vice all simultaneously. or aspecific one or plurality of such locks, from a central control room.

In FIG. 18 showing a block diagram of a practical embodiment of thepresent invention, 1A is a magnetic head to read out a key code signalrecorded on a magnetic card. IA is a magnetic head to read out a clocksignal recorded also on the magnetic card 2A, 28, 2A and 2B areamplifiers. 2C and 2C are wave-form shaping devices, 2D and 2D areoutput amplifiers. 3A is a series-to-parallel converter, 38 is acomparator circuit, 4A is a storage device, 5A is a control device, 6Ais a power source device, and 7A is an electric lock.

In the present embodiment, the amplifiers 2A'2B'. wave-form shapingdevices 2C and 2C and output amplifiers 2D and 20' respectively may bethe ones generally used and thus it will be unnecessary to be describedin detail.

On the other hand, with reference to the series-toparallel converter 3A,comparator circuit 3B, storage device 4A and control device 5A, anexample of practical circuitry arrangement for use in the case where thekey code signal and clock signal on the magnetic card respectivelyconsist of 25 bits will be shown in FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4 D, and theoperation of the circuit of the present embodiment will be explainedwith reference to FIGS. 15, 4A, 4B and 4D, in conjunction with FIG. 4Cshowing input and output wave form diagrams at certain parts of FIGS. 4Aand 4B.

In FIG. lB, a key-code signal read out by the magnetic head 1A isamplified by the amplifiers 2A and 2B and the wave form of the amplifiedsignal is shaped by,

the shaping device 2C comprising in the present in stance, for example.a monostable multivibrator. The shaped signal is then applied throughthe output amplifier 2D to KEY" input terminal of the series-toparallelconverter 3A shown in FIG. 4A. The clock signal read out by the magnetichead 1A in the same manner as in the foregoing is applied, on the otherhand, to CLOCK" input terminal of the converter 3A in FIG. 4A.

In the series-to-parallel converter 3A of FIG. 4A, the references Blthrough B5 are binary counters and their output terminals are shown byreferences Q. Q and O, O respectivelyv Outputs from these terminals arerespectively supplied to a binary-to-ZS bit notation decorder 31 whichcomprises a diode matrix.

Now, when the magnetic card is inserted in the card inserting port 8 inFIG. 2, the binary counters B -B are reset and the respective outputs 0,through become that is. the low level, whereas the respective outputs 0,through 6,, become l that is, the high level. Assuming that the key codesignal recorded on the magnetic card is l 0 I0 I 0 I (l. currents havingsuch waveforms as shown by (It and (2) in FIGAC are applied to KEY andCLOC K" terminals in FIG. 4A, respectively. after the above key codesignal and the clock signal are read out of the card. At the time whenthe first clock signal is applied to the CLOCK" terminal, output of thebinary counter B, is reversed so that Q, will be l and Q, will be Otherbinary counters B through 8,, remain in the same state as before so thatthe respective outputs 0|. Q2. Q3 Q4 and 0 will be 0" and thereby thefirst, fourth. sixth, eighth and lOth rows of diodes from lefthand sidein the diode matrix 31 connected to these output terminals are madeconductive. Consequently, the respective outputs at output terminalsM-02 through M-ZS become 0 except the one at the terminal M-Ol. When, atthis time, the first key code signal representing 1" is simultaneouslyapplied to the KEY" terminal, said signal is applied through an AND"gate circuit AND] to a group 32 of 25 diodes so as to cause them to becut off. Therefore, as shown by the diagram (3) M-0l in FIG. 4C, theoutput at the terminal M-Ol will be l that is, the high level. When,next, the second bit of the clock signal is applied to the CLOCKIterminal, the respective outputs of the binary counters BI and B2 arereversed so that Q 0,, Q Q and Q will be 0" and thereby the second,third, sixth, eighth and IOth rows of diodes from the lefthand side inthe diode matrix 3l are made conductive. Here, the outputs at therespective terminals M-Ol and M-03 through M-ZS except M-02 become 0."However, if the signal applied to the KEY" terminal is 0 at this time,the diode group 32 is made conductive so that the output at the terminalM-02 will also 0" as shown by the diagram (3) M-02 in FIG. 4C. Thus, therespective diodes of the group 32 are forming AND" gates logically atconnecting points with the respective output terminals M-0l throughM-25. During the clock signal is 0," further, such signal will renderthe respective diodes in the matrix 31 to be conductive throughinverters lNVl and INVZ so that all the output terminals M-0l throughM-25 will be in 0" state, that is, in the low level.

From the above descriptions, it will be understood that, when therespective n-th bits of the clock signal and key code signal aresimultaneously I," an output of 1" will appear at the n-th outputterminal M-n.

The thus produced output signals at the output terminals M-0l throughM-25 in H0. 4A are applied respectively to input terminals M-0l throughM-25 of flipflops FFl through FFZS of the storage device in FIG. 4B.

In FIG. 4B, the key code signal thus applied to the input terminals M-0lthrough M25 actuates the flipflops FFl through FFZS, so that the keycode signal will be stored therein as a parallel signal group of 25bits. The respective diodes forming the comparator circuit 38 in thepresent instance will be connected to either one of even nember or oddnumber sides of output terminals of the respective flip-flops inaccordance with the predetermined key code signal. For example, the leftend first diode in the drawing is connected at its cathode side toeither one of the output terminal F01 or F02 of the flip-flop FFl, thesecond diode is connected similarly to either one of the output terminalF03 or F04 of the flip-flop FFZ, and so on. That is, the key code signalto be preliminarily stored in the apparatus for locking and unlockingthe electric lock can be set by connecting these diodes respectively toeither selective one of the two output terminals of the respectiveflip-flops. In the present case, only when the input signal of l0l0l0.is supplied to the flip-flops FFl-FF25, all the diodes of the group 38will cut off and an output lock signal terminal LS" will become highlevel. That is, the diode group 38 is forming an AND" gate circuit,which is actuated only when the key code signal from the card and thepredetermined code signal preliminarily stored in the device allcoincide with each other, so that an output of 1" will be presented atthe LS terminal and thereby a locking or unlocking signal will besupplied to LS" input terminal of the control device shown in FIG. 4D.

In FIG. 4D. by the locking or unlocking signal applied to the LS" inputterminal of the control device 5A. a relay RA is operated to lock orunlock the electric lock comprising a solenoid and a mechanical lockmechanism.

Detailed explanation of the control device shown in FIG. 4D shall bemade in the following. in the present embodiment, a DC voltage of 24V issupplied to a terminal 24VA," and a stabilized DC voltage of [2V issupplied to a terminal Rl2V." When the magnetic card is inserted in theport 8 shown in FIG. 2, a micro switch provided in said port (not shown)causes a terminal PS" to be connected to the earth so that a relay RP"will be actuated Consequently. a contact rp" is closed to apply the DCvoltage to transistors TRl and TRZ and. at the same time. the DC voltageof 12V is supplied to the respective parts of the present locking andunlocking device through a terminal RIZVS coupled to the contact rp.Further, a reset signal for resetting the respective flip-flops in FIGS.48 is provided to a RE SET terminal as an output.

The locking or unlocking signal applied to the LS" terminal causes therelay RN to be actuated through the transistors TR [and TR2. Consequentthereto, a contact ra2 is closed so as to apply the DC voltage to 24V tothe electric lock comprising a solenoid connected to an ST" terminal andmechanical lock mechanism so that the lock will be locked or unlocked. Acontact ral is of a self-holding type. which holds its operation untilthe contact "ra2 opens after the relay RA is once actuated.

When the magnetic card is taken out of the card inserting port 8 afterthe electric lock is locked or unlocked, the connection between theterminal "PS" and the earth is releases. Therefore, the relay RP"becomes non-operative so that the contact rp" will open to interrupt thepower supply to the respective parts of the locking and unlockingdevice. and the relay RA" is also caused to become non-operative so thatthe contacts "ml" and ra2 will open. thereby the locking or unlockingoperation for electric lock is completed.

Relay RL is provided for the purpose of determining whether the electriclock is locked or unlocked. A terminal DL" is to be connected to theearth when the electric lock is in the locked state. Relay RT" is forthe purpose of automatically locking or unlocking the lock, a terminalAT" of which is to be connected to the earth when the lock is in itsunlocked state. (Contacts r!" and rr are shown in their locked positionin FIG. 40.) Another relay "RD is provided so as to be utilized at thetime when the power supply from the source is interrupted. in case thepower supply is stopped. the contact rd" is caused to be in its leftwardposition in the drawing so that, when the electric lock is in its lockedstate. a charge in a condenser Cl is supplied through the contact 14" tothe solenoid of the electric lock so as to unlock the same.

Terminals ML" and "MR are provided so as to adapt the device to manuallocking and unlocking. For this purpose. the terminals are connectedthrough a push-button or the like to the solenoid of the electric lock.

According to the thus formed electric locking and unlocking apparatusofthe present invention. the magnetic key code signal recorded on themagnetic card can not be normally recognized by sight from outside andthe forgery and illegal use of the card can be prevented. Further. incase a possibility of the illegal use of the magnetic card is producedby the loss or theft of the card, the security will be able to be againsecured by only a simple operation of making the storage device to storean altered new code signal and. at the same time, making a new magneticcard to store a magnetic code signal coinciding with said altered newcode signal without requiring such trouble as replacing, adjusting ormodifying the lock mechanism at all. Also. in case it is necessary torelease a plurality of predetermined locks in an emergency case. asimultaneous unlocking operation will be able to be made at once throughthe above mentioned control device without making individual unlockingoperations with magnetic cards. Thus the electric lock which is verypractical and yet high in the security can be obtained.

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the present invention. wherein thevariety of keys for locking an unlocking a single lock can be increasedwithout increasing the amount of information given to the key.

in the electric lock, as well known, an information of a key code signalis given to a magnetic card or punched card which corresponds to thekey. is magnetically or optically read and is compared with a keycomparing information preliminarily stored in a storage circuit of theelectric lock and, only when they coincide with each other, the lockwill be locked or unlocked.

In such electric lock, in order that one lock may be locked and unlockedwith a plurality of kinds of keys. such plurality of kinds of keys aschange keys locking and unlocking a specific lock. master keys forlocking and unlocking a group of different locks of the change keys, andgrand master keys for locking and unlocking certain lock groups ofdifferent master keys are prepared. or the kinds of keys are increased.

In the case of thus making a plurality of kinds of keys for one lock,for example, if the total amount of information of the keys is made 30bits by using live kinds of keys, the amount of information will bedivided into five parts for each key and. therefore, the amount ofinformation for each key will decrease. For example, if each key isformed of six bits as equally allotted. the predetermined key for eachlock can be found out relatively easily at a probability of W 1/64 andthus there will be a great problem in the security of the lock.

in order to reduce the probability of the lock being purposely unlocked,the amount of information may be increased instead of dividing andallotting the total amount of information to the plurality of kinds ofkeys. That is, if the total amount of information is made of I50 bitswith five kinds. the probability of the lock being purposely unlockedwill be V2 and it will be impossible to find out the predetermined keyor master key. However. it is difficult to make the total amount ofinformation to be such a large amount as bits in view of the size of themagnetic card for recording the key code signal and has a defect ofcomplicating the formation of such circuit as the comparator circuit inthe electric lock.

After once setting a plurality of kinds of keys. in order to increasethe kinds. as the amount of information has been divided and allotted.it is necessary not only to change the design of the entire electriclock but also to change the information to be given to all the keysdistributed to the users. It is substantially impossible.

FIG. shows an embodiment of the apparatus in a block diagram having nosuch defects as above. In this instance, the clock signal is not usedwith the key code signal and a temporary storage circuit 22 is insertedafter a code read-out circuit 21. In order to adapt the apparatus to theuse with, for example, five kinds of keys, five of key-code storagecircuit 23 are provided in parallel, which are represented by references23-1, 23-2 23-5, respectively, and likely five of comparator circuit 24are provided in parallel, which are represented by references 24-],24-2, 24-5, respectively. 25 is an OR-gate circuit and 26 is an electriclock which can be locked and unlocked with an electric signal. The coderead-out circuit 2] may be provided, as required, with an amplifier incase the output is small and with a shaping circuit or the like in orderto shape the wave form.

The above second embodiment of FIG. 5 is formed by fixing a total amountof information irrespective of the increase of the kinds of keys. Forexample, if the total amount of information is made 30 bits and thekinds of keys are made five kinds, similarly to the foregoing, 30 bitsof the total amount of information will be allotted to the respectivekeys of five kinds and thus five kinds of keys will be made for one lockbut the probability of this lock being purposely unlocked with otherkeys than a predetermined key will be 5/2, it will be substantiallyimpossible to unlock it and the security of the lock will be wellsecured.

On the other hand, in the circuit formation of the present apparatus,the key-code storage circuits 23 and the comparator circuits 24 may berespectively increased in response to the number of a plurality of kindsof keys and, in the case of five kinds of keys, respectively five ofthese circuits may be set in parallel. The key-code comparinginformation to be stored in the key-code storage circuits 23 is formedof 30 bits in the same manner as the key-code information. For example,the information of the individual key is stored in the circuit 23-], theinformation of the master key is stored in the circuit 23-2 and, in thesame manner, the information of the fifth key is stored in the circuit23-5.

Now, if the key-code information recorded on the magnetic card or thelike comes in, it will be read out by the read-out circuit 21 and willbe sent to the temporary storage circuit 22. The key-code informationthus read out is temporarily stored in said storage circuit 22 and,then. is sent simultaneously to each of the five comparator circuits 24provided in parallel.

it will be appreciated that, in the case when the clock signal isutilized so as to be simultaneously read out of the magnetic card withthe key code signal. the temporary storage circuit 22 may be omitted.

In the comparator circuits 24 having received the key-code information,the key-code information is compared simultaneously in parallel with therespective key-code comparing informations stored respectively in thefive-key code storage circuits 23. That is, in the comparator circuit24-l, the key-code information is compared with the key-code comparinginformation from the key-code storage circuit 23-]. In the comparatorcircuit 24-2, the key-code information is compared with the key-codecomparing information from the storage circuit 23-2. In the same manner,the respective informations are compared simultaneously in parallel.

In case, as a result of such comparison, the key-code comparinginformation coincides with the key-code information, a signal will besent to the OR" gate circuit 25 from the comparator circuits 24 but, incase it does not coincide, no signal will be generated. Therefore, inthe OR" gate circuit 25, ifa signal comes from any of the comparatorcircuits 24, a locking or unllcking signal will be sent to the electriclock 26 to lock or unlock it. If no signal comes from any of thecmparator circuits 24, there will be no output from the "OR" gatecircuit 25 and, therefore, the key is discriminated not to be thespecific predetermined key and the electric lock can not be locked norunlocked.

The example wherein five kinds of keys are prepared from the first hasbeen explained in the above. However, in such case that two kinds ofkeys are prepared at first and then the kinds of keys are to be furtherincreased, two key-code storage circuits 23 and two comparator circuits24 may be provided first and then the key-code storage circuits 23 andthe comparator circuits 24 may be increased in parallel by the number ofthe kinds of keys to be increased. Therefore, it is very easy toincrease the kinds of keys.

Further, it is possible that respective numbers of the circuits expectedto be required in future are set from the first but only the circuitfunctions of actually not required circuits are retained stopped, sothat not only the circuit functions will be recovered in the case ofincreasing the kinds of keys but also the kinds of keys will be able tobe decreased at a later stage.

As described above, according to the second embodiment, the kinds ofkeys can be easily increased without increasing the amount ofinformation given to the key nor impairing the security.

A practical circuitry arrangement of the above described secondembodiment of FIG. 5 will be shown in FIG. 6, which is adapted to thecase when the clock signal is utilized together with the key codesignal.

In FIG. 6, the read-out circuit 21 has a key-code signal output terminallabelled SIGNAL" and a clock signal output terminal labelled CLOCK." Thetemporary storage circuit 22 in FIG. 5 is omitted in the presentinstance, and an address selection circuit 27 is inserted between theCLOCK" terminal of the read-out circuit 21 and the five key-code storagecircuit 23 respectively comprising a memory denoted by M1 through M5 andan OR" gate connected to output side of the memory and denoted by him.The address selection circuit 27 comprises an inverter IN], a 3-bitbinary counter and a 3-line to 8-line decoder. The comparator circuits24 comprise, respectively, an exclusive OR" gate EXI, A NAND" gate ND2and an R-S flipflop comprising two OR" gates ND3 and ND4. The OR gatecircuit 25 comprises an inverter 1N2, an OR gate NDS and an AND" gateAD], and the AND gate AD] is connected to the electric lock 26 (notshown here).

The clock signal from the read-out circuit 21 is supplied through theinverter INI to the 3-bit binary counter. The output from said counteris then converted into an octal code by means of the 3-line to 8- linedecoder. With the output from this decorder, the respective bits of thepreliminarily stored key-code signal information in the memory Ml fromthe comparation are sequentially read out from l to 7" and are suppliedto the OR gate NDI. At this time. the first output terminal of thedecoder which corresponding to the first pulse of the clock signal isnot connected with the memory MI and, therefore, the information in thememory MI is not read out by the first clock pulse. That is, the firstclock pulse appearing at the 0" terminal of the decoder is utilized torender the locking and unlocking apparatus to be in stand-by state. Now,the key-code comparation signal supplied to the OR" gate N D l fromthememory M l and the key-code signal from the read-out circuit 2] are bothapplied to the exclusive OR gate EX] so as to determine whether theycoincide with one another. The output from the gate EX] becomes highlevel only when the both signals do not coincide with each other. Suchoutput of the exclusive "OR" gate EX] and the clock signal are thensupplied to the NAND" gate ND2, so that the gate NDZ will be actuatedonly when the clock signal and the high level output of the exclusiveOR" gates EXI are applied to input terminal of the gate N02, and the RSflip-flop of the OR" gates ND3 and ND4 are thereby reversed. That is, inthe case when the key-code signal and the key-code comparation signalare not coinciding with each other, the output of the R-S flip-flop isreversed and is supplied to the input side of the OR gate NDS asreversed.

The operation in the other key-code storage circuits 23 including thememories M2 through M5 and the respective comparator circuits 23connected thereto is the same as in the foregoing and descriptionsthereof will be omitted here.

The respective outputs of the R-S flip-flops coupled to the respectivememories M2 through M5 are also supplied to the OR gate NDSsimultaneously with the above described output of the R-S flip-flopcoupled to the memory Ml. Therefore, if there is even one input which isnot reversed at either one of these R-S flip-flops within the liveinputs to the OR" gate NDS, in other words, in the case when thekey-code signal from the magnetic card is coinciding with either one ofthe five kinds of key-code comparation signals in the storage circuits23, the "OR" gate NDS is actuated to supply its output to one of twoinput terminals of the AND gate ADI. The other input terminal of theAND" gate AD] is connected to the seven bit output terminal of the3-line to 8-line decoder. Therefore, at the time when the comparation ofall the respective bits of the key-code signal and the key-codecomparation signal is completed, the AND" gate ADI is actuated in thepresence of the input signal from the OR" gate ND5. so that a locking orunlocking signal will be supplied to the electric lock 26 to lock orunlock the same.

FIG. 7 shows an equivalent circuitry block diagram to the basicstructure of FIG. I for explaining the keycode signal comparisonperformed in the structure. Generally. when the key-code signal recordedin series on the magnetic card or the like comes in, it will be read outas a series signal in a read-out circuit 71 and the series signal thusread out will be temporarily stored in a series-to-parallel converter 72and will be converted to a parallel signal. This parallelly convertedoutput is sent to a comparator circuit 73.

On the other hand, from a key-code storage circuit 74, a key-codecomparing signal preliminarily stored therein comes as a parallel outputinto the comparator circuit 73 simultaneously with the parallel outputof the key code signal.

In the comparator circuit 74, the key code signal and key-code comparingsignal are compared with each other parallelly simultaneously to seewhether all the signals coincide. In case they coincide, the signalswill be sent to an electric lock 75 to lock or unlock it.

In such electric locking and unlocking apparatus, as the signals arecompared parallelly simultaneously. the output terminals of the seriesparallel converters and key-code storage circuits and the inputterminals of the comparator circuits are required by the number of thebits of the signals. For, example. if the signal is formed of 40 bits,40 sets of input terminals will be required for the key code signal andkey-code comparing signal in the comparator circuit. Therefore, therearises a defect that the component parts forming each circuit are manyand that the circuit formation is thereby complicated.

In the third embodiment of FIG. 8, such defects are eliminated bycomparingthe key code signal as a series signal as it is.

In the block diagram showing the third embodiment in FIG. 8, 81 is aread-out circuit, 82 is a comparator circuit, 83 is a key-code storagecircuit, 84 is a coincidence storage circuit, 85 is an AND" gatecircuit, and 86 is an electric lock. As required, the readout circuit 81may be provided with an amplifier in case the output is small, or with ashaping circuit or the like in order to shape the wave form.

In FIGS. 9 and 10 showing wave forms at the respective parts in theembodiment of FIG. 8. In particular, FIG. 9 shows wave forms in case thekey code signal and key-code comparing signal coincide with each otherand FIG. 10 shows wave forms in case these signals do not coincide.

Now, if a signal of a key recorded in series on a magnetic card or thelike comes in, it will be read out as a series signal in the read-outcircuit 81 and the signal thus read out (exemplified as S, in FIG. 9 andS in FIG. 10} will be sent as a series signal as it is to the comparatorcircuit 82. Further, a part of the signal read out will be sent as aclock signal to the key-code storage circuit 83 from which a key-codecomparing signal S preliminarily stored therein (shown in FIGS. 9 andI0) will be triggered by said clock signal and taken out in the form ofa series signal so as to be sent to the comparator circuit 82.

In the comparator circuit 82, the key code signal S, (or S and key-codecomparing signal 8,, are compared with each other as series signals asthey are. As a result of the comparison, in case both signals allcoinside, that is, in case the key code signal is S as shown in FIG. 9,a signal 5;, will be sent to the coincidence storage circuit 84 from thecomparator circuit 82 and a signal S of a constant level (a low signalhere) will be sent to the AND" gate circuit 85 from the coincidencestorage circuit 84.

On the other hand, as an end signal that the key code signal S, has beenall completely read out is given to the AND" gate circuit 85 from thekey-code storage circuit 83, an AND" with the signal S, is taken and,with its output signal, that is, a locking and unlocking signal (a highsignal here), the electric lock 86 is locked or unlocked.

Further, in case the signals do not coincide, that is, in case the keycode signal is as shown in FIG. l0,

a signal 5, having pulses in the non-coinciding part will be sent to thecoincidence storage circuit 84 from the comparator circuit 82. As saidstorage circuit 84 is so formed as to reverse the polarity only when thesignals do not coincide with each other, an output signal S is generatedby the signal S, is sent to the AND" gate circuit 85.

On the other hand, an end signal that the key code signal S, has beenall completely read out has been given to the "AND" gate cirocuit 85 asdescribed above but the AND" with the signal S can not be taken and,therefore, no output comes out of the AND" gate circuit, thus no lockingand unlocking signal is given to the electric lock 86, only a signal 5,,is sent and therefore the electric lock 86 can not be locked norunlocked.

In the third embodiment. as a series signal of a key code is read outand is compared as a series signal as it is with a key-code comparingsignal preliminarily stored as referred to in the foregoing, there areadvantages that the output terminals of key-code storage circuits andthe input terminals of comparator circuits can be minimized as requiredwithout requiring series-toparallel converters as before andirrespective of the number of bits of signals, that the number ofcomponent parts to be used can be decreased and that the circuitformation can be simplified.

FIG. llA shows an example of practical circuit arrangement of the thirdembodiment of FIG. 8, in which the apparatus in adapted to the key-codesignal comprising l5 bits. FIG. B shows signal wave forms at therespective parts in the circuit of FIG. 11A.

The clock signal from the read-out circuit 81 having a wave form (I) inFIG. HE is supplied to the keycode storage circuit 83, where the signalis sent through an inverter IN! to a 4-bit binary counter so as to becounted therev The output from this counter is then presented to a4-line to l6-line decoder to convert the signal into hexadecimal code,so that the 15 bit keycode comparation signal preliminarily stored inthe memory of the circuit 83 will be supplied through an OR" gate 0R3 tothe comparator circuit 82. The output from the OR gate 0R3 at this timehas a wave form as shown by the diagram (3) in FIG. 118.

The comparator circuit 82 and coincidence storage circuit 84 in thepresent instance are formed in the same manner as in the case of FIG. 6,and the AND gate circuit 85 comprises an AND gate ADI. Therefore, theoperation of the part from the exclusive OR" gate EXl to the AND" gateADI is entirely the same as in the case of FIG. 6 and its explanationshall be omitted here.

Now, the signal of IS bits stored in the memory of key-code storagecircuit 83 shall be assumed to have such a content as shown at the topof FIG. B. On the other hand, the key-code signal from the read-outcircuit 81 shall be assumed to be of the content such as shown by solidline of the diagram (2) of FIG. 118, that is, eighth signal of thekey-code signal is to be 0. Under this condition. further, if the eighthbit of the signal stored in the memory is also the output of the diagram(3) of FIG. 1113 presented to the comparator circuit 82 will be also asshown by solid line, whereas the output (4) supplied to the coincidencestorage circuit 84 will be as shown by dotted line of FIG. llB(4) andthe input (5) to the AND" gate circuit 85 will be also as shown bydotted line of FIG. 118(5). Consequently, the output (8) from the AND"gate ADI will become high level after the completion of fifteenth signalcomparison, as shown by dotted line in the diagram (8) of FIG. MB.

In the case when the eighth bit of the signal in the memory is l insteadof0," the "OR" gate 0R3 output (3) will be as shown by dotted line inFIG. 11B (3), so that the output (4) from the NAND" gate NDZ falls onceto the low level as shown by solid line in FIG. 11B (4). Therefore, thecoincidence storage circuit 84 is caused to be reversed so that itsoutput (5) and consequent output (8) of the AND gate circuit 85 will beas shown by solid lines (5) and (8) in FIG. 11B and thus, no locking orunlocking signal is produced.

What is claimed is:

1. An electric locking and unlocking apparatus comprising anelectrically controlled lock mechanism, a device for simultaneouslyreading from a magnetic card a key-code signal consisting of a pluralityof bits and a clock signal consisting of the same number of bits andsynchronized with said key-code signal, said reading device presentingthe respective signals to separate output terminals, a storage devicecomprising a plurality of storage circuits corresponding in number to aplurality of kinds of keys to be used and respectively storing apredetermined key-comparison signal corresponding to each of said keysand having the same number of bits as the key-code and clock signals,said storage device presenting said key-comparison signal to an outputin accordance with said clock signal from said reading device, a logicoperational device including a plurality of comparator circuitscorresponding in number to said kinds of keys and respectively connectedto each of said storage circuits, said logic operational device comparing the respective bits of the key-comparison signals, storedrespectively in each of the storage circuits and supplied to each ofsaid comparator circuits upon receiving each bit of the clock signalfrom the reading device, with the respective bits of the key-code signalfrom the reading device and producing a coincidence signal at an outputwhen the key-code signal coincides with the key-comparison signal in anyone of the storage circuits, and a control device for controlling saidlock mechanism in response to said coincidence signal. I! t I Ii 8

1. An electric locking and unlocking apparatus comprising anelectrically controlled lock mechanism, a device for simultaneouslyreading from a magnetic card a key-code signal consisting of a pluralityof bits and a clock signal consisting of the same number of bits andsynchronized with said key-code signal, said reading device presentingthe respective signals to separate output terminals, a storage devicecomprising a plurality of storage circuits corresponding in number to aplurality of kinds of keys to be used and respectively storing apredetermined key-comparison signal corresponding to each of said keysand having the same number of bits as the key-code and clock signals,said storage device presenting said key-comparison signal to an outputin accordance with said clock signal from said reading device, a logicoperational device including a plurality of comparator circuitscorresponding in number to said kinds of keys and respectively connectedto each of said storage circuits, said logic operational devicecomparing the respective bits of the key-comparison signals, storedrespectively in each of the storage circuits and supplied to each ofsaid comparator circuits upon receiving each bit of the clock signalfrom the reading device, with the respective bits of the key-code signalfrom the reading device and producing a coincidence signal at an outputwhen the key-code signal coincides with the key-comparison signal in anyone of the storage circuits, and a control device for controlling saidlock mechanism in response to said coincidence signal.